


The Ones You Can Talk To

by Eldabe



Series: Happy Fic Collection [10]
Category: The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-19
Updated: 2011-08-19
Packaged: 2017-10-22 20:16:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/242154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eldabe/pseuds/Eldabe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ponyboy is leaving for college soon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Ones You Can Talk To

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on my Dreamwidth [here](http://eldabe.dreamwidth.org/5615.html)
> 
> Written for [merfilly](http://merfilly.dreamwidth.org/) who requested, "Ponyboy, prompt of aftermath."

Ponyboy lit his cigarette, then flipped the lighter closed absently. He blew out a puff of smoke.

"Darry's still on me to quit." Ponyboy said, watching the white tendrils dissipate. He ducked his head, "I've cut down a little."

He smoked in silence for a minute, crouching in the grass.

"I'm leaving for college next week." He trailed one finger in the dirt, making circles. "Going up to OU."

"I sometimes think Darry might be jealous of me, you know? He was supposed to be the first one in the family to graduate college. But then sometimes I think I'm his success story. You know how parents will brag about their kids going to college? That's Darry. I think the whole roofing crew knows about me now."

Ponyboy shifted, and took another drag.

"I dunno, sometimes, what would've happened if you were still here. I don't know if it would have been very different, but at the same time..."

The cigarette was burning at Ponyboy's fingers now, and he stubbed it out in the grass.

"I'll visit when I come back for Thanskiving," he said, and stood up. He reached for the gravestone almost hesitantly, and faltered right before he touched it.

"Bye, Johnny," he whispered, and stuffed his hands in his pockets before walking away.


End file.
